Gifts, volunteers make Jewett City home for vets a reality

The group who dreamed up the idea of giving homeless veterans a place to live and a supportive group of veterans around them, all in one place, didn’t think it would ever happen.

By ALISON SHEA

The Bulletin

By ALISON SHEA

Posted Jun. 9, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jun 9, 2012 at 9:03 AM

By ALISON SHEA

Posted Jun. 9, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jun 9, 2012 at 9:03 AM

Griswold, Conn.

The group who dreamed up the idea of giving homeless veterans a place to live and a supportive group of veterans around them, all in one place, didn’t think it would ever happen.

“It was just on the wish list,” said Dan Deguire, the secretary of the American Legion Veterans Housing Inc., when he started working with the group in 2005.

After seven years of wishing and more than a year’s worth of work, the facility will open Monday. A ribbon-cutting and speeches will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the South Main Street, Jewett City, facility.

Deguire pointed out plaques installed this week, bearing the names of more than 50 donors, and honor plaques for more than 40 veterans whose families contributed in their names.

With just days left before it opens, it’s still largely a volunteer effort. Volunteers have been in and out of the home all week, readying furniture, supplies and furnishings for the 18 apartments.

On Thursday, while TALVHI President Bill Czmyr led local veterans on a tour through the facility, Griswold High School students came in, armed with rags and cleaning supplies. They dusted countertops and cabinets and polished the wood in all 18 apartments.

While she scrubbed a windowsill, sophomore Monique Maynard said she volunteered because she wanted to help the veterans.

“They deserve to be treated good because they fought for our country,” she said.

On Wednesday, volunteers from the Connecticut River East chapter of the Window Covering Association of America brought rods and drills to hang new drapes in apartment windows. The drapes were donated by the Waterford Hotel Group, but came much too large for the windows, past president of the association, Carol Twardowski-Heap, of Danielson, said. She and seven other members recut and resewed the yellow pinstriped material to fit the smaller windows of the veterans home.

“Some of the panels were so large that we cut the material for the panels, and could still make valances out of the rest,” she said.

Furniture donated

The Waterford Hotel Group donated all the furniture — beds, couches, tables, chairs, lamps and artwork for 18 apartments.

CEO Len Wolman said it all came from two Hartford-area hotels that were being renovated. The timing made it a great fit for the group’s charitable foundation, he said.

“This just seemed like a really worthy cause. Being veterans makes it that much more worthy,” Wolman said. “We were very impressed with the plans for this facility. We felt this was something we had to support on a number of levels.”

Helping Hands of Norwich is donating kitchen supplies, and the Interfaith Stitchers of Windham made quilts for each veteran’s bed. The Jacques Cartier Club and Ladies Auxiliary of Jewett City donated televisions that will be installed this weekend.

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“There’s a lot of vets in this club, and especially to have something local, the first of its kind anywhere — it’s a no-brainer to help out,” French Club President Jeff Raymond said.

The facility will house 18 formerly homeless veterans. While the ribbon-cutting is Monday, veterans are still being selected by the federal Department of Veterans Affairs. The first veterans are expected to move in at the end of the month or in early July, said Czmyr, TALVHI president. He said he doesn’t know who the veterans are, but said they likely will be from Eastern Connecticut.

While the veterans aren’t there yet, offices for the counselors and medical professionals who will provide support and training will be completed within a few days. Crews can focus on the American Legion meeting and dining rooms on the first floor, which have not been completed yet.